The Spanish educational system is governed by the Organic Law of Education and divided into different levels by the central government. The levels include infant/pre-school education, primary education, compulsory secondary education, baccalaureate, vocational training, and university. Primary education is compulsory and free for ages 6 to 12. Compulsory secondary education (ESO) is for ages 12 to 16, and leads to a certificate required for baccalaureate or vocational training. Baccalaureate lasts from 16 to 18 and is required for most university programs. Universities last 4 years minimum and are measured in ECTS credits. Schools can be state run, privately run but state funded, or purely private

1. SYSTEM
THE SPANISH EDUCATIONAL
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TOLEDO

2. The spanish educational system is governed by the organic law of education
2/2006, of may 3 (LOE).
According to the Spanish Constitution there´s a division of powers between
the different entities and authorities present in the state.
Basically, the central government has exclusive jurisdiction to regulate the
structure of the different educational levels and the conditions for obtaining,
issuing and recognition of academic qualifications and professional.

3. EDUCATIONAL LEVELS:
• Infant education/ Pre-school education.
• Primary education.
• Compulsory secondary education (ESO).
• Baccalaureate.
• Vocational training.
• University.

4. Infant education
It´s optional and it´s divided
into two cycles of 3 courses.
• 1st cycle: from the age of 0
to three. It´s not free but
the state gives economic
aid to some families.
• 2nd cycle: from the age of
three to six. It´s free in
state schools but families
have to pay the materials.

5. Primary education
• Primary school begins at six and continues for six years.
• It´s divided in three cycles:
 1st cycle: from the age of six to eight.
 2nd cycle: from the age of eight to ten.
 3rd cycle: from the age of ten to twelve.
• It´s compulsory and free, also the books are included (in
Castilla_La Mancha).
• The curriculum includes: Maths, Spanish language, Science,
English language, Co-official language (in case of Catalan,
Basque and Galician), Art, Physical education, Music, Education
for citizenship and Catholic religion (voluntary).

6. The purpose of this level is to provide all children with a
common education that enables the acquisition of the basic
cultural learning: oral expression, reading, writing and
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arithmetic as well as a progressive autonomy of action in their
environment.
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The teaching methodology is oriented to the student's overall
development, integrating their different experiences and
learning.
In this kind of school we find one teacher per class and with no
final examination to pass to the secondary school.
Schools begin at the second week of september and finish at the
third week of june.
BIBLIOPHILE PUPILS

7. Compulsory secondary education
It´s compulsory and free of charge.
Successful students are awarded a
Secondary Education Certificate, which is
necessary to enter the post-compulsory
stage of Schooling, principally the
Baccalaureate (Bachillerato) for
University or Vocational Studies. Once
students have finished the Baccalaureate,
they can take the University Entrance
Exam which differs greatly from region to
region. The compulsory stage of
secondary education is normally referred
to by its initials: ESO (Educación
Secundaria Obligatoria). It´s divided into
two cycles of two courses.
• 1st cycle: from the age of 12 to 14.
• 2nd cycle: from the age of 14 to 16.

8. Baccalaureate
From the age of 16 to 18.
Spanish Baccalaureate is
free.
There are two parts, a core
curriculum with the
compulsory subjects, and a
specialist part with a few
pre-selected branches to
choose from.
The specialist part has up to
four subjects (depending on
the branch taken): Arts,
Nature and Health Sciences,
Sciences and engineering,
Social Sciences and
Humanities.

9. At undergraduate level, some degrees have their own branch requirements
(such as medicine, engineering degrees, law...) and some courses accept
students from any branch, such as Language studies, Social Work, Educational
Sciences or Tourism.

10. Vocational Training
The vocational training is free and also a common possibility
after ESO or after the Spanish Baccalaureate. There are two
different types of programs: Middle Grade Training Cycles
which have the ESO diploma as a requirement, and Superior-
level Training Cycles, which have the Spanish Baccalaureate as
the principal requirement. After completion of the Superior-
level Training Cycle, students are entitled to direct entrance to
several related University degrees.

11. University
The normal duration for University
courses is 4 years, except Medicine
and the double degrees, which are 6.
University studies have "ECTS credits"
as a measure for the lessons, and
normally, 60 ECTS are taken each year,
so, each course comprises 240 ECTS
credits. Passing every subject, and
getting the 240 ECTS credits, gives the
right to obtaining an academic degree
(Grado), architecture or engineering
qualification.
Postgraduate courses are Master's
degrees (Máster), and Doctoral
degrees (Doctorado). The access is
regulated by the university itself,
through the Doctorate Commission. It
is necessary to have the degree
course, architecture or engineering.
Own degrees are nonregulated studies
leading to an unofficial degree,
recognized only by the granting
university. These courses have the
same structure as the regulated
studies.
The universities regulate access to
their own degrees and they fix the
academic fees. They can also offer
unofficial postgraduate degrees.

12. Schools in Spain can be divided into 3 categories:
• State schools.
• Privately run schools funded by the State.
• Purely private schools.